Start your car and check that your washers and wipers are working. Pay particular attention to the wipers – do they properly clear the screen on each pass? Worn or torn wiper blades can impair visibility, and may be a cause of test failure. While you're at it, check the level in your washer reservoir. We keep a range of wiper blades in stock and can order others for same day delivery.

Tyre treads and Condition

If you're taking proper care of your car, you'll check the tyres regularly as a matter of course. But even if this is the case, it makes sense to check again before setting off for your MOT test. Ensure that your tyres have a minimum of 1.6mm of tread over three-quarters of the contact area. Also check for cuts, bulges or any objects stuck in the tread. All of these issues can contribute to test failure.

Lights

Check all of your lights, including your hazard warning lights, side lights and main beam. Also check the light casing, as cracks and sharp edges may cause your vehicle to fail its MOT. We keep bulbs for most cars and would be happy to fit a replacement if required.

Seatbelts

So often overlooked by motorists, the seatbelt is a surprisingly-common cause of MOT failure, especially for customers who have pet dogs. Check that every belt is free from torn or chewed edges, and that it locks into its socket properly.

Brakes

In addition to being crucial for the safety of your car, properly-functioning brakes are a requirement of the MOT test. Check that your foot brake doesn't feel spongy, and that your hand brake doesn't require too much effort to engage.,

Paying simple attention to all of the above on a regular basis will help keep your car in a safe and roadworthy condition, and may just save you a little money and stress when your next MOT test comes around. If you have any questions please give us a call.

Why Service Your Car ?

An MOT is not the same as a service

“An MOT and a scheduled service are not related, per se,” explains Diane de Voghel of the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA). “A regular service is needed to take care of the car and the wear and tear of its parts and fluids. The MOT is a periodic technical inspection for safey – it is not designed to repair or replace worn vehicle components.”

A healthy vehicle tends to be a more affordable vehicle.

“An unserviced vehicle is likely to have a shorter life expectancy and higher fuel costs, whilst potentially being more unsafe,” says de Voghel.

The little things you may choose to ignore that a service would sort, like putting off an oil change, can also prove expensive. Oil left to its own devices for too long coagulates and gets stuck, starving your engine of lubrication. This, in turn, can break that engine, and believe me, the cost of an oil change will be far less than the cost of a new engine.

There are many similar things a service rectifies for relatively little cost that, if left to worsen, could incur a much bigger expense. A car's air filter is a good example. .Though there are things you could fix yourself, the likelihood of you actually doing them is pretty remote – and that oversight could be lethal.

Take tyres. ”It is so easy to have cuts and damaged sidewalls, particularly on modern low-profile tyres. Everyone dreads a high speed blowout, but how many people check their tyres regularly – even before a motorway journey? Unlike things like brake fluid and coolant, there’s no warning light to tell the driver that the tyre is seriously damaged,” says Rupert Lipton.

Value and Insurance. Even if your car makes it from year to year without a service, if anything should happen to the vehicle and you need the assistance of your car insurance company, your reticence could return to bite you.

Not having had a service wouldn’t necessarily invalidate a claim – but if it’s declared a total loss they may take the service history into account when calculating its pre-accident value, which could mean you ending up out of pocket.

A full and thorough service history could also help you command a better price when you come to sell your car on.